


The day after (part 2 to 180 days)

by ficta_scriptor



Series: Dsmp oneshots [4]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Cara | CaptainPuffy is Clay | Dream's Parent, Hurt Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Hybrid Cara | CaptainPuffy, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Niki | Nihachu Needs a Hug, Pandora's Vault Prison, Parent Cara | CaptainPuffy, Parent Sam | Awesamdude, Protective Cara | CaptainPuffy, Protective Sam | Awesamdude, Pyromaniac Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Ram Hybrid Toby Smith | Tubbo, Sad Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Sad Toby Smith | Tubbo, Sam | Awesamdude is Sam Nook, Sam | Awesamdude-Centric, Scared Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Scared TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Sequel, Sheep Hybrid Cara | CaptainPuffy, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit Angst, Traumatized Toby Smith | Tubbo, Traumatized Tommyinnit (Video Blogging RPF), Villain Niki | Nihachu, Warden Sam | Awesamdude
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-19 03:27:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29993157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ficta_scriptor/pseuds/ficta_scriptor
Summary: A sequel to the fic "180 days in the diary of a puppeteer"I would recommend reading it first as it gives context to the events of this fic.Anyways summary timeSam realized the fate of his prisoner too late.Was it worth the sacrifice for what he gained?
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Series: Dsmp oneshots [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2206182
Kudos: 44





	The day after (part 2 to 180 days)

**Author's Note:**

> Ready for parental figure Sam angst boys?

No one had thought about the synchophat in the cell for a long time. 

No one knew where he was, of course. Save for Sam.  
And sam got close, so close to letting dream on parole, allowing a visitor even just checking up on him.  
But then there was Tommy.  
Tommy who still woke up with nightmare most nights.  
Tommy who had just began becoming comfortable enough to come to "Sam Nook" when he did.  
He would curl up next to Sam and ask the same questions. 

"Am I safe? Is he here? Are you here?" 

And Sam would repeat the same things. 

"You are safe with me Tommy, and I am here. And he will never hurt you again." 

Every time he felt the least bit guilty Tommy would remind him who he fought it for.  
The kid was broken.  
He was traumatized.  
Some of the things he mentioned in their late night talks..  
Sam was scared for him. And the only way to protect his kid Tommy was to isolate Dream.  
It was worth the agony. 

"Sam Nook?"  
Tommy was leaned up against Sam in front of a dimming bonfire.  
He often found the combined heat of flames and nighttime breeze helped ground him after particularily garish nightmares. 

"Yes Tommy?" 

"Can I- can I talk to Sam?" 

"Of course Tommy," 

Sam was silent for a second.  
He spoke again, in a soft and compassionate tone.  
Well, as good as he could muster. 

"You okay Tommy?" 

"My heads gone all fuzzy and shit again Sam." 

"I see. Do you want to talk or just rest?" 

"I need to talk. Just.. remind me that this is real Sam." 

"Okay, Tommy, you are real."  
He squeezed the smaller boys arm lightly.  
"All of this is real. Your safety is real. I am real. Everyone you know and love is real. And I will keep it that way. I promise." 

They sat in silence, staring at the crackling logs. Tommy eventually spoke up, his voice barely above a whisper. 

"Sam, Dream , he- he's ruining my future, isn't he?" 

"No he isn't." 

"Yes he is Sam. He makes these.. these thoughts come. And they loop and shit Sam, and it just.. drowns out everything." 

"What kinds of thoughts?" 

"Like- like maybe I shouldn't be here anymore." Sam repressed a flinch.  
"I- I mean, people keep telling me that life goes on and whatever.. but to me thats- thats the worst part.  
It just keeps going.  
I haven't had a proper dream in like a year, Sam. I want it to stop. Is it worth it to fight, Sam?" 

Sam didn't know what to say. He tried to work out some sort of comfort. 

"Tommy, if I could take all of your grief and sadness away, I would do it in an instant. For any price.  
And thats what I am going to do. You will heal Tommy, and I will do everything in my power to help you. You're a strong kid Tommy. If anyone can do this, you can. And it is worth it. To me, and to everyone who cares about you." 

Tommy sniffed quietly. His voice wavered as he spoke again. 

"I dont feel awfully strong now Sam." 

Sam pulled Tommy closer, supporting his back. 

"That's okay. I'll be strong enough for both of us tonight. We're going to make it, Tommy. It will be hard, but we will make it." 

Tommy was drained and could barely nod in response. His eyelids drooped and Sam opted to watch the ever shifting tones of the dying coals. 

"Can this be the part where things start getting better?"  
Tommy mumbled into Sam's shoulder, 

"Of course." He replied. 

"Thank you.."  
Tommy whispered so quietly that Sam couldn't even hear it over his own thoughts. 

"Hm?"  
Tommy yawned before responding,  
"Thanks dad." 

Then he let himself fall asleep.  
Sam looked down as if a butterfly had landed on his lap, his eyes filled with starlight and powerful emotions begging to be let out. He wanted to do everything for this kid. He wanted to be good for him.  
But being good for Tommy meant making the moral desision to- 

He had to.  
The weight on his lap grounded him like an anchor to his desision.  
If anyone was worth this choice it was Tommy. 

Everyone in your life will hurt you. Whether it be on accident or by vindictive nature. You just need to find people worth suffering for.  
And thats what he did.  
He forged the chains he was forced to wear and he wore them for Tommy.  
All for Tommy.  
Because Tommy was worth it.  
Because kids were worth it.  
Because child soldiers were worth it.  
Because traumatized children were worth it. 

Because Dream wasn't worth it.

One hundred and eighty days go by fast when you aren't expecting a time limit.  
But nothing stays forever.  
Not even dreams. 

When he died, no one knew.  
Not for a day or so, at least.  
It was purely coincidental (then again, the smp was in part, an extension of Dream, leading me to believe that nothing in this situation was coincidental) that Sam needed to retrieve a spare pickaxe from the prison, as a certain someone had lost it while mining for netherite. (It was a stress reliever, don't judge 'em) 

As soon as he entered the prison he knew something was wrong.  
Sam was far from superstitious, but the pull he felt was so insanely intense that he found himself bolting to his control room.  
His heart sunk six feet under when he saw no organic heat signatures inside the cell. 

The camera had gone offline months ago, and Sam didn't bother to fix It.  
Now he had to deal with this by hand. 

He alerted the prison guards and started a code red, praying that tommy was asleep and wouldn't see the message, 

"ATTENTION ALL RESIDENTS OF THE SMP, THE HIGH RISK PRISONER DREAM HAS ESCAPED FROM PRISON. PLEASE REPORT ANY SIGHTINGS TO THE NEAREST PRISON GUARD." 

Then he bolted back downstairs, practically shaking as various precautions were unlocked.  
He didn't even bother to re lock them.  
There wasn't time.  
It wasn't worth it. 

Finally he made it to the lava chamber. He slammed his fist into the button and stared at the migrating chunks of rock as the chamber drained.  
He was so stressed he didn't even notice the group of people who had entered with him.  
He only noticed when a kid with a red sleeved shirt tapped him hard on the shoulder. 

Sam whirled around and pointed his sword at the boy, but as soon as he recognized Tommy he lowered it and his chest filled with panic. 

"Tommy?! What are you doing here!" 

Then he noticed the few others who had come.  
Ranboo and Tubbo. Nihachu, Puffy, And Sapnap. 

"Why are you all in here!" 

Everyone was silent.  
Tubbo shifted and barely spoke up. 

"Why didn't you tell anyone Dream was in the prison." 

Ah.  
Right. 

Puffy stepped forward, her hat was half slid off her head and was barely caught on her broken horn. 

"Sam, how long has he been back for?"  
She asked calmly.  
Sam shook his head and his eyes were darting between people beneath his gas mask.  
Why did the lava have to be so fucking slow?  
"After, Puffy. He might be anywhere around here. Speaking of which, why the hell did you bring the kids."  
He hissed in her face. 

"We both know I couldn't stop them."  
She replied in an equally aggressive tone.  
Tommy pushed Sam back.  
"Sam, if you think we're gonna just chill in snowchester while a fucking- a fucking terrorist is running around-" 

"Tommy it is not safe." 

"Exactly bitch! Look, Sam, you're strong, sure, but dream is literally an admin." 

Sam didn't respond. How could he? In some twisted way Tommy had a right to be here. Everyone did.  
Because of his choice.  
Ranboo spoke for the first time since the entrance.  
"If Dream is here, Sam.. we all deserve to put him where he belongs.  
So many more people do as well, actually. But this is who we could get on short notice."  
He nodded to the group. 

Sapnap hadn't spoken yet. In fact, he had barely moved. He had spent the past few minutes with the hand on the hilt of his sword.  
Remembering the promise he made.  
Praying he would be able to keep it.  
For the sake of the server.  
It would be worth it. 

The lava had lowered to a point where Sam could see roof peaking through the top. He clutched his hair in exasperation 

"I- I can't let kids into-" 

"-Into battle?"  
Nihachu interrupted.  
"Into bloodshed? Terror? It wouldn't be the first time. They're hardly kids anymore. Treat them as what they deserve." 

"I'm not trying to treat them as lower, I just want to protect-" 

"The Lava's done"  
Tubbo cut off the conversation with a monotonous remark. It was a correct observation, as the lava was just a foot or two from being passable, and Sam could barely squint across to see the cell. 

Dream was nowhere to be found. 

Sam raised the bridge and the pack trecked across the molten rock. 

He expected to find a portal, a hole, anything, really, that would signal escape. 

But life is under no obligation to give us what we expect. 

There was paper.  
So much paper.  
It carpeted the floor and stuck out of cracks in the stone walls, which were all empty with the exception of the back corner, where the bed was shielded from veiw by a chest and the box of the potatoes, which were old and molding. 

As they got closer they could make out what was written on some of the papers. 

Many were drawings of people with scribbled words all over. Some had names. Crossed and remarked and guessed and misspelled. 

Then they saw the book on the ground. 

Tubbo picked it up. 

"It's.. It's a journal."  
He traced the worn cover with his thumb.  
Nikki crossed her arms,  
"Read it out loud." She said abruptly.  
Tubbo side-eyed her, but complied.  
"Uh... okay; 

Day one, I've got..... a lot of books. Sam's gonna get a fist to the face when he brings potatoes." 

Sapnap snorted.  
"Typical." he said as he leaned against the wall. 

"How many entries are there?" Tommy asked as he peered over Tubbo's shoulder.  
Tubbo flipped through. 

"Oh God, there's a lot. At least a hundred." 

Sam took the book and continued the reading,  
"Day thirty three, How. How. How. I dont know. I don't know. I can't forget I forgot who Tubbo is. How. How. How. How. I dont know. I don't know. I can't forget.. my memories are all I have here. Why do I feel like there's a joke here? Memory.. boy? I need to write down everything. 

Tommy- little shit. Hates you. You hate him.  
Stupidly easy to manipulate. 

Tubbo- coward. Hate him. You hate most people, actually.  
They don't understand. 

Technoblade: a fighter. 

George: 

Sapnap: 

Bbh, dont remember what the acronym stand for..  
Likes eggs. 

Fundy- fox. 

Sam: put you in here. Tommy's dad. 

Philza minecraft- made minecraft. Pretty sure he's a god or smthn.

Thats it.. thats all I remember. There's blurry faces. I don't remember. I don't remember. I think I used to.. care about someone? Someones? I just remember hating them all. What did I say to them? Why don't I remember? When did I stop remembering?" 

Tubbo grabbed Tommy's hand.  
The cell felt so cold..  
"Did he forget everything so- so quickly?

Sam thumbed the edge and flipped forwards,  
"Hold on, in the next week or so he says he had stopped eating and sleeping. Look, day forty two he says he ate again and remembered things. 

He flipped back, hand freezing around day 15.  
"He started hallucinating." 

"What?!" Tommy and tubbo cried in unison. Puffy answered the semi- question, 

"It's to be expected with sleep deprivation and complete isolation."  
She gently took the book from Sam, "But according to day forty-four he's back to being sane."

Tommy took the book 

"Day fifty nine,' oh look, there's a poem.  
'Sam  
Green bitch  
Why the fuck you put me here  
Let me the fuck out  
Bitch'" 

He laughed as he read further down the page, "What the fuck man? That's his impersonation of me??" 

Nikki rolled her eyes and snatched the book. 

"Day 60:  
I'm sorry. Please let me out."  
She paused.

"Day 65: I was kidding. See, I'm still a great liar." 

Her breath hitched. 

Day 90:  
You're right. I did this to myself. I'm sorry. Please let me out.  
Can I get out now?" 

Everyone was silent. 

"That.. doesn't sound good." Ranboo added quietly.  
Nikki persevered, turning away from Puffy when she tried to get the book back,  
"Day 100:  
100 days. Woo.  
I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry. Please please please please please let me out somebody PLease."  
She flipped a bit more and exhaled harshly,  
"He forgot who the sky looked like. Day 120, he starts doing logs again because he forgot what the sky looked like." 

Puffy tried again to take the book and this time Nikki allowed it. She cleared her throat before reading.  
"Day 121:  
I lost the Tommy drawing. Woke up and it was gone. Tried to draw him again. Did he had brown or blond hair? 

Why didn't I write down who he was? All I've fucking got is that I hate him but.. I dont? I dont know what to think." 

"He drew me?" Tommy hopped over and tried to take the book, but Sapnap grabbed him by the collar and shushed him. Tommy mumbled various curses but everyone just ignored him.  
It wasn't worth it. 

"Day 122: "Tommy" came to visit. I told him to go away. I know its not him. I know i know I know I know I know..." 

Puffy trailed off. 

"Sam.. you might want to read this.." 

She pointed to an updated list of names. 

"Tommy- you hurt him.  
Tubbo- you hurt him.. you hurt a lot of people.." 

"did he- did he actually feel bad?" Tubbo asked to no one in particular. 

"Day 136: someone please let me out. I'll be good. I promise I'll be better. 

Why would they beleive you. Youe were always just a fucking liar.

Day 137: found the drawings under my bed. I dont recognize the people but they're labled so I remember who they are. I remember I promise." 

Puffy's eyes saddened and her ears drooped. 

" Day 139: I lied on 137. Who the fuck is fundy. I mean I see what I've written down but "fox" is kinda self explanatory."

Puffy shut the book softly. "He- he burns himself on purpose. Multiple times throughout the book."  
Sapnap stepped a bit closer, 

"Is that the end?"  
He asked. Puffy shook her head. 

"No." 

She skipped more pages, 

"Day 150: five months. Months are 30 days. Dont want to forget that. I've forgotten so much. Or maybe I haven't. Thats the worst thing about forgetting. I have no idea how much I've forgotten. Or how much I've got left. 

Day 151: please someone let me out."

Tubbo began shaking. Tommy hugged him from behind, even though he too was getting quite anxious in the confined space. 

Puffy was talking so quietly it was barely above a whisper. No one asked her to speak up.  
She read a passage describing Dream drawing the only person who's face he remembered. 

"Day 158: their name was Dream. Why do I have their name on my suit? Labled the drawings in case they want it when-  
If  
I  
Get  
Out." 

Tommy forced himself out of the trance he had assumed. He scanned the floor and located the sketch, labled "Dream". It was the only one with no erase marks.  
He picked it up gingerly and showed it to Sam. 

"He drew himself.."  
He spoke in a hushed town. Very unusual for Tommy, but it was an unusual situation.  
Ranboo took the drawing considerately. 

"It's a nice drawing." He remarked. Tubbo, who hadn't moved for quite a while, put a hand on the paper and traced the mask. 

"He couldn't recognize himself in the drawing."  
He said blandly.  
He attempted to hand the sketch to Puffy, who's hands had began shaking and whose eyes were glazed over.  
Sam put a steady hand on her shoulder. 

"Cara, do you want me to read the rest?" 

Puffy managed a small nod and handed Sam the book. Ranboo gave him the sketch as well and then started pacing along the cell. 

Sam skipped to the end, deciding to read the in-between bits in private later. Eventually he made it to the final page. 

"176: Why are there papers under my bed. 

177: why do I get up? I just burn myself more. Maybe that's why. 

178: no more getting up. 

181: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Goodbye." 

He shut the book for a final time.  
The loop began again. Like a broken record the thoughts swarmed and filled his mind,  
Filled his body with guilt and grief.  
Why did he feel this way?  
He did the right thing!  
He did the right thing for Tommy! 

It-  
It just hurt so much.  
Knowing you did the best you could and it still wasn't good enough. 

He wasn't strong enough.  
He wasn't good enough.

No sound was heard for a minute, but the silence was interrupted by a short, pained breath from Ranboo.  
Everyone turned looked at him and saw him staring around the corner of the chest and box. Right at the bed. 

"I-"  
He could barely force out the words.  
"I-  
SAM!"  
his hands began shaking and he looked frozen in fear. 

Sam immediately brought himself back to reality and started to head over to the corner.  
Unfortunately Tommy made it before him, and it was there he met the lifeless eyes of the boy in the bed before Sam could cover him. 

He stumbled back, barely registering the cacophony around him. He heard Tubbo scream. There was so much screaming.. and then he fell to the ground.  
It was cold. 

Sam forced through the haze and got everyone out as quickly as possible. The kids first, and then the adults. He refused to let anyone see around the corner after tommy and tubbo, but the group could deduce what had happened. After that they got out as soon as possible. Only Sam stayed behind to take care of the body. It was so hard.  
He could barely move himself.  
But he needed to be strong for everyone right now. 

_You did this. You hurt them. You hurt him. You deserve this._

"I did the right thing!"  
He shouted.  
There was no echo. 

_Did you?_

The light in the corner was still burning brightly.  
Sam turned it off.  
It hurt to leave a light on for nobody. 

His chest hurt whenever he looked at him. He had done so much to hurt people.. but.. did he deserve this? 

"Yes he did! He did! He hurt everyone! He traumatized tommy! He was just a kid!" 

_Are you really that different from him?  
Is this better than exile? _

He needed to leave.  
He needed to leave.  
It was so hot in the cell.  
It was freakishly lonely and cold. 

_You did this to him._

"Shut up!" 

Sam screamed and ripped off his gas mask.  
He couldn't breathe.  
He could barely walk. 

He looked around the room through blurred vision, gathering up all the pictures he could find. Then he looked under the bed. And found a carefully sectioned pile. The top page was labled  
"People and what I remember about them" 

He opened it and saw the first drawing. Tommy. 

It was hard to tell without colors but the details gave him away. Shaded sleeves and two disks on the bottom corner. There was an arrow pointing to them saying "These are important for some reason." 

His face was all rubbed out and replaced with a cross. Sam opened the journal and skimmed the first few pages until he found the entry talking about drawing Tommy. Sure enough it detailed Dream giving up on drawing his face and replacing it with a cross. 

He flipped through the pages, again deciding to look more throughouly later.  
He kept a list of who was on the pile 

-tommy  
-tubbo  
-dream  
-philza  
-fundy  
-Nikki  
-quakkity  
-ranboo  
-technoblade  
-sam  
-puffy  
-sapnap  
-george  
-karl  
Some of the drawings had a lot of details and fun facts. Others had just a bit of writing. Sam's included a sketch of sam nook. (How did he know?) Technoblade's had a drawing on the back of him surrounded by a bunch of people screaming E. 

Sam decided that after going through all the papers he would give the drawings to the people they depicted. 

He carefully put them in his satchel along with the journal, gathering every other paper in the room with any sense of tampering and put them in a separate pocket. 

He needed to get out.  
Now. 

_"I always thought there was good in you, Dream. That even you were human in some way. But I can't allow you another chance to hurt him."_

Flashbacks and blurred memories blocked his vision. 

_"You couldn't do anything to me, duckling. I have nothing left."_

That wasn't his memory. 

_"He doesn't care about us George! He said that! He doesn't care about anything on this server!"_

_"Y̴͖̪͕̤̣̲͂͠ͅo̵̧͑̓ų̸̠̟̙̏̋͒͝͝ͅͅ I don't care about you. No one does."_

**He needed to get out.**

_"The next time we meet it will be in the fires of hell."_

Sam dragged himself to the bridge. As he traveled across he glanced over the body one more time. It should Despawn in a day or so.  
Sam couldn't go back for it.  
It wasn't worth it. 

_Do you really have nothing left to lose?_

_Or is it that the only thing left for you is losing?_

He got out to see a barely conscious tommy hugging tubbo tightly. No one was talking. What was there to say? 

Puffy was holding Ranboo's hand like it was an anchor to sanity.  
Who could blame her? 

Sapnap and Nihachu were standing alone.  
Nikki was blank.  
Sapnap was faking it.  
_It will never be okay again._

_What are you going to tell George?_

Everyone was silent.  
Drowning in their own thoughts.  
They needed to talk.  
They all needed to talk.  
But who do you find comfort in when everyone you know is so.. broken? 

And no one had any explanation,  
Any comfort to give.  
No one save for Sam. 

Sam wanted to fake obliviousness.  
He wanted to cry.  
He wanted to leave.  
He got so close, so close to lying.  
But then there was Tommy. 

_You have to tell him._

Some things can never be fixed.  
They still have to be carried.  
And it's never worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> More oneshots on my profile! If you enjoyed please leave a kudos and feel free to comment!


End file.
